1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tungsten carbide insert rock bits, and more particularly, to the specially shaped and designed inserts utilized thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rock bits using sintered tungsten carbide inserts generally have a wedge or chisel-shaped configuration for soft to medium hard formations. Various embodiments of such configurations are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,442,342 and 4,108,260. Such chisel-shaped inserts conventionally have a cylindrical base for retention into the cone structure of the bit and a wedge-like cutting tip adapted to project beyond the cone surface. In all forms of chisel type inserts, flanks are made into the insert by removing material from two opposing sides of a truncated cone. A curvilinear crest formed from a tip radius connects to the top of the two flanks. The remaining truncated cone, a conical surface symmetric with the insert axis, is joined to the crest with two opposing corner radii that are revolved around the insert axis.
The flanks may be planar in surface or slightly convex, as shown in FIG. 6 of the '342 patent. In either instance, in a view along the crest perpendicular to the insert center line, the vertical lines running from the top to the bottom of the flank face were always straight.
In addition, the intersection between the corner radii and the tip radius, as well as the intersection between the conical surface and the flank faces, usually have a blending radius, also known as a round, to eliminate the sharp edge that would otherwise exist.
The shortcomings with this feature is that blend radii are areas of high stress concentration because they are small, typically 0.005 to 0.090 of an inch. These small blend radii typically contribute to or cause the premature breakage of an insert, of which in many cases, a less optimum material composition is utilized to overcome this failure mode.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,260, a chisel type insert is shown in which the trailing flank is rounded outwardly. Unfortunately, the interfacing of the flank surfaces with the conical and crest are very sharp, and at best, would call for rounds or blends, as shown in the earlier '342 patent.